Risk assessments might sound daunting - but they’re a legal necessity and a powerful tool to keep your team safe and your business protected. For small trade businesses in the UK, a straightforward, practical risk assessment process is all you need to meet your obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the simple steps to create a compliant risk assessment tailored for trades, with tips and tools to make it painless.
A risk assessment is a careful examination of your work activities to identify hazards and decide how to control the risks. The goal is to prevent accidents, injuries, or ill health.
According to the HSE, you need to:
Walk around your job site or workshop and look for anything that could cause harm. Common hazards in trades include:
Use this HSE hazard checklist for inspiration.
Consider everyone who could be affected by the hazard, including:
Think about the severity and likelihood of potential harm.
Determine how likely it is that someone could be harmed and decide what you can do to reduce or remove the risk.
Control measures can include:
Refer to the Hierarchy of Control for guidance.
If you have 5 or more employees, write down:
Keep the record clear and simple. Graftly offers easy-to-use risk assessment templates to get you started.
Review your risk assessment whenever:
This keeps your risk assessment relevant and effective.
Our platform helps trades manage risk assessments by:
Writing a risk assessment doesn’t have to be complicated. With a simple process and the right tools, you can protect your people, comply with UK law, and build confidence with your clients.
Ready to get started? Download Graftly’s free risk assessment template and make safety a straightforward part of your day-to-day.
